Modeling Jack's World

[ryos]

joeb wrote: ...too lazy to sit and calculate...

Heh. I'm an engineering student. Sit and calculate is what I do.

...especially because it's different from Mac to Mac.

Sure, the absolute timing of things will differ from mac to mac, but the timing of events in relation to each other should remain constant. Were it not so, Jack would have a different jumping range on different computers, and crazy zapper beam contraptions wouldn't work, and Freddy's evil pixel-perfect Bedlam tricks would break, etc.

I'm sure there's formulas behind the movement. just not sure whether Vern would publish those.

I really hope he does. Like I said, this is information that I feel should have been included in the documentation. A number (for example, the speed numbers) is meaningless without a dimensional unit that relates it to something.

FWIW I did do a bunch with measurements in the custom graphics tutorial so that may help...

* ryos goes to read the tutorial...
Hey, that's nice! I now know that what I had previously referred to as a

tile

is really half of a tile, at least in the graphical sense. I chose the tile because it seems to be the only unit that's sane to try and measure in the editor, due to the grid. It also seems the most convenient, because everything is tiles in MM. So: 16x16 pixel tiles, 40x27 tile screen.

Actually, I do have a program (Art Director's Toolkit) with an onscreen ruler. That will be of much use I think.

...but that's a GREAT idea about modeling a mansion first. In a post somewhere I did mention that I was using Excel to track my layouts, critter dispersal, path validation and such and it would be very cool to add movement formulas to it.
Hmmmmmmm, we need to talk about this some more (unless Vern considers it taboo or reverse engineering). But I definitely LIKE the idea!

Yay! Someone else crazy like me!

I'll get to measuring tonight when I get done with work. My tools of choice will be the aforementioned ADT and a stopwatch. I'd be happy to post any spreadsheets I come up with as well. It should be easy to come up with a few calculator sheets (fish movement, small spider movement, etc) that convert desired movement characteristics to dialog box numbers.